New directions in Education

In our country’s overall manpower and human resource development program, education has the crucial role of training individuals and providing skilled and technical workers required by our national development.

The expansion of production caused by the use of machines instead of the old handicrafts requires more training of large numbers of technicians and leaders. It has become necessary to equip workers with understanding and resourcefulness through some form of organized trainings.

Because of such a situation, agriculture, for example, should be taught systematically; home economics should be organized, and so with hunting, fishing, and other occupations. All these have to be made efficient and systematic.

We were shocked recently to see on television how Filipino fishermen in some villages could ruthlessly drop dynamites into the sea. For present bounty, knowingly or unknowingly, they are bringing destruction to marine life and sources of food for their children and future generations.

Education must emphasize not only how to get the most fish, the most oil, or any product from nature, but must put efforts on teaching how these natural resources can be conserved so that they do not run dry.

The challenges are numerous. The growth of population, with the corresponding growth in the demands for food, clothing, and other needs, requires man to use his energy in the most efficient way.

Because discovery and invention, too, are constantly producing new machines and new devices, and therefore new processes, workers must be informed about them for skilled job performance.

Standards of efficiency are rising, requirements are getting more strict, promotions and salary increase are becoming more necessary. Therefore, education is getting to be, more and more, the answer to such situations and problems.

Because of discoveries and inventions, technical information is on the rise and therefore there is need, greater need for specialized and more intensive training. Every job now makes some special demands requiring skill, knowledge, and foresight.

Is education, particularly vocational and technical education, in the Philippines effective in providing workers who could meet the quantitative and qualitative requirements of our economy? This takes us to the need for an analysis of our vocational and technical education.

What are the goals and policies of our country’s vocational education?

What can be done about enrolment to maintain a balance so that unemployment can be avoided?

Are there programs for placement of graduates?

How are schools organized and administered? What are the curricula and training programs? It is sad to note that many college graduates find themselves groping when in actual work.

How are the facilities and equipment for instruction? How about financing?

Are there allied programs, like apprenticeship, manpower training, industry-school tie-up programs?

In general, the whole process of education is one involving initiative, ingenuity, and industry. This is necessary for life is getting more and more complex.

In man’s struggle against destructive forces of nature, in meeting the various challenges brought both by skill of some and lack of concern of others, he needs all the efforts he can muster and use them in the most efficient and caring manner. This is where education comes in.

(Ms. Singh, PhD in Educational Management and MA in Journalism taught English 1-4 (HS), Freshman English (College), Journalism, School Paper advising, and a retired journalism supervisor, Division of City Schools, Manila.)